Safe Haven
by Blockbusterism
Summary: "Oh, you won't be able to escape, by the way. And they won't find you. You're in the place that once was. I'm hoping to change that to the place that will always be."


**A/N**: This is a "what if" story that started off as a random thought and then quickly spawned to the point where it wouldn't leave my mind alone lol. Like many of you, I'm completely and utterly dissatisfied with the direction that the show has taken with Lacey's character—with all of the main characters, honestly—so I've taken plenty of liberties in this story. Interestingly enough, this is an idea that I had since the end of 1A but apparently it'll happen in canon during the finale, just with a few obvious differences.

As crucial background information, Vikram was found dead with Marilyn as the perpetrator for both his and Regina's deaths. All of the sordid details of Marna Inc. were revealed (mostly thanks to Lacey's persistent involvement in solving the crime), particularly the corruption that Tara never got the chance to expose due to her murder at Vikram's own hands. Danny was exonerated and cleared of all charges involving Regina and Tara's deaths so he could finally move on in peace. He and Lacey decided to "take things slow" and try being friends first instead of jumping into an intimate relationship right away. Charlie and Danny have no prior history (he did go to juvie but not where Danny was) but other than that, Charlie's characterization remains pretty much the same. Significant changes to Jo have been made and Rico's starting to break out of his awkward shell. Andie and Whitney do not exist in this storyline but Phoebe, Sarita, and Cole do (as they always should have but I digress).

This is a pretty dark story (with a happy but mature ending though lol) so read with caution!

* * *

**Safe Haven**

_Thoughts flicker  
In my mind  
Like faint stars. _

_I glint  
Like a drop of dew  
In the morning sun  
And vanish. _

_This space  
Into which I now dissolve  
And disappear  
Is the eternal color  
Of your eyes. _

Charlie slowly lowered his pen onto the slightly crumpled paper that laid before him, admiring his latest piece of work scribbled in poor cursive. He tiredly pushed the errant lock of hair that was perpetually in his eyes out of his face and smoothed the palms of his hands into his auburn hair. Streaks of sunlight peeked through the dusty curtains of the small cabin, alerting the young man that daybreak was approaching. His hand landed briefly on a torn, worn out book that laid on the edge of his desk before he stifled a yawn with a closed fist, easing out of his chair and stretching languidly before sauntering over to the tiny bathroom.

Charlie whistled absentmindedly as he turned a knob for the showerhead above, watching the rivulets of liquid fall into the tub as the water slowly heated up. After stripping himself of his clothes, he stepped in the shower, allowing himself to be drenched from head to toe as he placed the palms of his hands against the tiled wall in front of him, his mind drifting to the one girl who seemed to permeate his heart, mind, and soul.

Deep dimples to match a huge smile.

Rich, ebony skin and long dark hair that shone in the afternoon sun.

Boots and thigh high socks.

Charlie could feel his erection stiffening as her image assaulted his mind. Seemingly of its own accord, his hand wrapped around the base of the appendage jutting from its base and gave it a few quick pumps before he found his release, watching with half-lidded eyes as the tendrils of semen flow into the drain below.

Feeling the water begin to chill after a long, undetermined amount of time, Charlie quickly retrieved a bar of soap and sloppily smoothed it over his body before rinsing off the suds. Turning off the water and scrambling out of the shower, he ran a towel over his wet limbs as he rushed into his bedroom, plucking random items of clothing strewn about on the carpet and sniffing them for relative cleanliness. Once he found a simple shirt and a pair of jeans that were passable, he hastily threw them on before running into the bathroom to brush his still damp hair and his teeth.

As he inspected his appearance in the bathroom mirror, he tested out a toothy smile as he used his hands to further arrange his hair to his liking. His smile grew as he stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards his closet. Pushing away the hanging garments to view his "work in progress" Charlie admired the collection before him taped onto the wall.

Pictures of the girl of his affections at varying ages, some as young as six years old.

Clippings of newspaper articles from the Green Grove Daily featuring her as a budding equestrian.

Pens of different colors.

And the most recent, yet prized possession of them all, a hairbrush.

Charlie gingerly removed the tape that stuck the hairbrush to the wall and raised it to his nose, nostrils flaring as he deeply inhaled the lingering scent of lavender hair shampoo and jasmine. He ran his fingers through the small bristles, capturing one shed strand of hair and rubbing its silky texture, a shiver of pleasure coursing through his spine in response.

He finally placed the object back onto the wall, making sure that the adhesive on the tape was strong enough. His dark eyes traveled to the center of the collection, his personal favorite picture of the girl. He placed a soft hand on the glossy photo and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on its surface.

"Today's the day you will be mine, Miss Porter," Charlie whispered before stepping away, making sure to push the clothes back into their place and closing the closet with a firm shut.

* * *

Students tiredly shuffled into the hallowed halls of Green Grove High, clearly exhibiting the effects of the Monday Blues as they prepared themselves for the inevitable first bell that would signal the start of their classes.

"I don't know how you can be so perky this early in the morning, Phoebe," Jo muttered with a wry smile as she flipped through the pages of her Calculus book, reviewing the material for an exam in just ten minutes.

Phoebe blinked as she reached into locker and removed her Chemistry book before placing it into her large bag. "_Well_," she began, flipping her curly brown hair away from her shoulder. "All I do is—"

"Save it, Phoebe. It's way too early for this," Sarita grumbled as she approached the girls, her scowl plastered firmly onto her tanned face. The tiny girl swiveled her gaze towards the blonde, who wordlessly passed her a grateful look in response.

"Ugh, you guys _never_ listen to what I have to say," Phoebe lamented with a dramatic roll of her eyes. If she thought Sarita was enough, having Jo in her circle felt downright unbearable at times. Occasionally, she entertained suspicions that the two girls actually became friends and then bonded over their shared pastime in undermining her.

"You guys, give Phoebe a break."

Phoebe whirled around, a huge, relieved smile gracing her features as she watched the last girl approach their group, her black leather bag slung loosely over one shoulder. "Lacey!"

Lacey waved at the rest of the girls, earning a smile and brief greetings from Jo and Sarita as she spun the combination to her locker.

"I was just about to tell Jo how I stay nice, perky, and fabulous on a drab Monday morning like this," Phoebe said quickly, ignoring the two tired sighs that she received in response.

Lacey stifled a laugh as she pulled out her binder. Her smile faltered as she looked through the small bag in her locker for a pen. "Ugh, I don't know how I keep losing my favorite pens," she lamented before settling for a mechanical pencil. "That's the third one this month," she said as she turned around to face the rest of the crew.

"Maybe you have a stalker," Phoebe whispered, her eyes growing wider with each word. Lacey passed the dramatic girl a confused smile as she cradled her binder while shutting the locker door. Before she could reply, she felt a large hand span her lower back, the heat from the simple touch quickly spreading from the base of her spine to the rest of her body before it left just as quickly as it came. Instinctively knowing who it was, a soft smile spread across her face, dimples appearing as she turned her head to greet the person.

"I swear it isn't me," Danny said with a grin, looking directly at all of the girls in a wordless greeting. "I'm more of a 'stalk from a distance' type," he joked, his large brown eyes lingering on Lacey's for a fraction of a second longer. Though his gaze appeared friendly and humorous, Lacey could see the questioning look underneath the surface and offered a small shake of her head to dispel his thoughts.

Danny quirked an eyebrow, shelving his concerns and mentally cataloging the topic to bring it up at their study session later before turning to Jo. "Hey, Masterson. Can I borrow your notes for the Calc test?"

Jo shook her head in mock dismay as she shuffled through her satchel for the papers in question. "You really need to start writing notes of your own instead of falling asleep in class," she said as she placed the notes in Danny's outstretched hand.

Danny raised his hand up in defense. "Hey, it's not my fault—,"

"—that Coach is riding us even harder for the semi-finals this month," everyone finished for him, much to Danny's surprise.

"You're beginning to sound like a broken record, dude," Rico said as his jogged up to the group, offering an awkward salute to everyone. "I'm heading to class now though. I have to ask Ms. Smith a quick question about Frenet formulas."

Sarita crossed her arms. "Is that even Calculus?"

Rico smiled awkwardly, offering a half shrug. "Differential geometry, actually, but it never hurts to ask. You guys coming?" he asked, looking at Jo and Danny.

"Sure," Jo replied with a small laugh. "Later, everyone." With that, Rico and Jo turned to head down the hallway, chatting about the possible questions that would be on the exam.

"I'll see you at lunch?" Danny confirmed, more to Lacey than anyone else.

"Of course," Lacey said softly, earning an easy smile in return before he left to catch up to Jo and Rico. Lacey watched his retreating form for a fleeting moment before turning towards Sarita and Phoebe, both with knowing looks.

"What?" Lacey asked with a confused blink.

"I just don't get why you two aren't together yet," Phoebe said, grabbing Lacey's arm for emphasis. "Both of you couldn't be more obvious!"

Lacey laughed easily as she shook her head. "We're just taking it slow…learning how to be friends first," she reasoned lightly.

"Yeah, I think you guys are more than good in the "friends" department," Sarita added with a bored expression. "Plus, you're _so_ ridiculously happy whenever he's around. And…he's not the Socio I thought he was," she grumbled.

Lacey's smiled softly as she thought about the progress that she and Danny were making these past three months and how she hadn't felt happier in years now after dealing with the several life-altering issues that once plagued her and her friends. Vikram was dead, Danny was cleared of Regina's murder, Archie, Scott, Doug and Eloise were expelled for their respective offenses, she reconciled with her friends, and she and mother were finally starting to become close again.

It felt like everything was finally coming full circle.

And maybe it was time to chase after her own happiness after spending most the last five years putting everyone else before herself.

After a moment of silence, Lacey looked up at her two friends. A twinge of pain gripped her heart as she wondered what Regina would've thought.

And she realized that, despite their occasional differences, Regina would've wanted her to be happy.

"Alright," Lacey said with a resigned sigh. "I'll talk to him tonight." Lacey's heart soared as Phoebe and Sarita grinned at her decision.

"Great!" Phoebe exclaimed as she linked her arm with Lacey's as they started to walk towards their Chemistry class together. "But you have to call us afterwards and spill _everything_!"

"She's right. You don't have a say in this," Sarita added monotonously, though a tiny smile played on her lips.

Lacey laughed brightly, looking forward to her study session more than ever.

As the early bell rang and students began shuffling into their respective classrooms, one solitary figure stood away from the crowd, fixing the persistent lock of brown hair out of his face as his other hand gripped the tattered paperback. A crooked smirk graced his pale features, his eyes fixed on the only girl that mattered to him.

His smirk widened as he looked forward to the end of the day more than ever.

* * *

"So, when are you going to ask Lacey out?" Jo whispered, pretending to read the open book in front of her while her blue eyes was trained onto the brown boy seated next to her.

Danny's eyes widened for a second before he offered Jo an easy smile. "What are you talking about, Jo? Lacey and I are just friends," he murmured, his eyes lowering to the pencil he was twirling between his fingers.

Jo resisted the near overwhelming urge to hurl the book in his direction. Danny's insistence on feigning ignorance was a defense mechanism that she was more than accustomed to and, frankly, more than a little tired of. Jo opted to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration instead. "Don't play stupid, Danny. With every passing day, you get a little more handsy and stand a little closer to her. You both obviously never stopped liking each other. I don't even know why you two decided to do this 'friends' thing in the first place."

Danny's smile dropped before he slowly exhaled. "Okay, okay…it's been on my mind for a while now but—,"

"But?" Jo questioned, placing the book down on the table and turning to fully face Danny.

"But I don't know if she'll take me back after all the shit I put her through," he said in barely a whisper, the distraught nature of his thoughts showing clearly on his face. Jo frowned, opening her mouth, ready to offer a quick rebuttal before Danny quickly fixed his expression to a more positive one. "I'm fine being close to her in any capacity, just as long as she'll have me there."

Jo sighed. "Look, Danny. We've all been through some shit this past year alone—you and Lacey in particular. But it's all behind us now. We're all in a better place and you guys deserve to be happy for once and if that means you and Lacey getting back together, then why the hell isn't it already happening?"

Danny's eyebrows furrowed, deep in thought before his expression eventually softened as he reflected on Jo's words. Danny finally offered the blonde girl a smile and patted the back of Jo's hand in a silent thank you before turning to focus on his studies. Jo grinned and picked up her book as well, satisfied with his silent answer.

* * *

Lacey picked up an apple, inspecting it for a moment before placing it on her tray. Just as she was about to turn around to walk towards her table, she rammed into a solid figure, causing her tray to fall to the ground.

"I'm so sorry," Lacey muttered as she pushed bang away from her face to get a look at the person. "Oh, Charlie," she said with a friendly smile.

"It was my fault. I'm sorry," Charlie said quickly as he bent down to pick up the apple, wrapped sandwich, and water bottle that had fallen from the impact. He smiled as he carefully placed the items onto the tray before handing them to her. "How have you been?"

"Good, good," Lacey said with a nod, her eyes briefly looking to the cafeteria doors before landing on the tattered book in his hands. "I see you're still reading that book."

Charlie's eyes shined in pure happiness over the fact that she recognized his favorite book. "Y-yeah!" he said with an excited nod. "'To The Place That Once Was.' I never get tired of reading it.' Uh listen, Lac—"

"Oh, my friends are here," Lacey cut him off with a sheepish smile. She observed his haggard and worn down face, the sunken eyes, the dark circles, and his near emaciated frame with a twinge of worry. "Have you been taking care of yourself, Charlie?"

"Huh?" Charlie said before forcing a tight smile on his face, his heart sinking as he noticed Lacey's friends filling up a table nearby. "Oh, yeah, yeah, I have," he said quickly. "But, Lacey, I wanted to ask you—,"

"Hey, Lace," Danny said as he approached the two with his own tray in his hands, nodding briefly to Charlie. "McBride. What's up?

Charlie's face remained unreadable, his lips forming a grim line. "Desai," he said stiffly.

"I'm sorry, Charlie," Lacey said. "What were you saying?"

"N-nothing," Charlie said, glancing between Lacey and Danny as he backed away slowly. "I'll see you at the stables later?"

"Sure," Lacey confirmed, offering a wave as Charlie scurried out of the cafeteria.

Danny glanced at Lacey, who merely offered a shrug as they made their way to their table.

"That guy is weird," Sarita muttered as she jammed her fry into a small container of ketchup.

Lacey sighed as she sat into her seat, unwrapping the sandwich on her tray. "And this is why he doesn't want to sit with us. You should try being nicer to him, 'Rita,"

"You'd have a better chance at getting Jo to stop wearing her little beanies," Danny muttered, moving just in time to evade a drenched fry that whizzed past his face. Danny raised a thick eyebrow in Jo's direction, who simply huffed, straightened her light blue beanie on her curly head and continued eating.

"Maybe he's the stalker that's been stealing your pens," Phoebe said, her forehead wrinkling with anxiety.

"What? No. Charlie wouldn't do that," Lacey said with a firm shake of her head before taking a bite out of her sandwich.

"Didn't you say you were missing a hairbrush from your locker, too?" Rico asked carefully. Danny's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, his eyes scrutinizing Lacey's reaction in silence.

"I must've misplaced it somewhere," Lacey replied noncommittally.

"I know he was there for you when things were a bit…crazy and he may not be the one stealing your pens and hairbrushes and whatnot," Jo began, ignoring Phoebe's huff but be careful around him, okay? I don't really trust him," Jo said, her tone slightly tinged with worry.

Lacey sighed in acquiescence. "Okay, guys. I'll keep an eye out for him."

"Good," Sarita simply said. Everyone else nodded in agreement as they continued to eat their lunches.

* * *

"So you want to meet at the gym later or…?" Cole trailed off as he slapped the bottoms of his cleats together, watching chunks of dirt and grass fall to the tiled floor of the locker room.

"Nah, I'm just gonna head home, take a nap, and then meet Lacey at the diner later," Danny said as he tied his still damp hair into a topknot.

"Ah, I forgot this is your study night," Cole said. After a several minutes of silence, Cole looked up at Danny as he was shoving his uniform into his duffel bag. "So I'm guessing you two are finally getting back together?"

Danny looked back at Cole in surprise before shutting his locker. "What makes you say that?"

"Because of that shit-eating grin on your face when you said you were meeting with Lacey later," Cole said with a laugh. Danny laughed along as he shook his head, shouldering his bag in preparation to leave.

"But I'm happy for you guys. I really am," Cole said with a sincere smile as he clapped Danny on the shoulder.

"Thanks, man. I'll see you tomorrow," Danny replied with a smile of his own before heading out of the locker room and towards the student parking lot. Unlocking the doors to his car, Danny dumped his bag in the passenger seat and pulled out his phone, sifting through the contacts as he walked to the driver's side and opened the door.

He smiled softly as he landed on Lacey's number. Pressing the contact information, he typed a quick message before sending it to her, starting up the car and heading home.

* * *

Lacey smoothed the silky mane of the large brown horse in front of her with a brush as she held out her other palm filled with sugar cubes. She giggled softly as the horse nibble the rest of the sweets out of her hand.

"Good boy," she whispered, giving the horse one last pass with the brush before picking up a bucket and walking towards the back of the stables. Placing the bucket underneath a spigot and twisted the handle, she watched as water slowly began to fill the container. Once she was satisfied with the amount, she lifted the bucket and began to head back to the horse she was caring for when she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket.

Lacey easily slid her phone out of the pocket, peering into the screen as she continued walking. She bit her lip to hide her smile as she read the text:

"**I don't know about you but I'm ordering a huge basket of fries later and I'm not so sure I'm willing to share tonight. Maybe I'll give you quarter of a fry. 'Cause I'm nice like that."**

Lacey laughed and shook her head but she could think of a proper reply, she rammed into a figure again, causing both the bucket and her phone to fall to the ground, water spreading around on the dirt beneath her feet.

"Damn it!" Lacey exclaimed just as Charlie bent over to retrieve the bucket and her phone.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. I've been such a spazz today," Lacey muttered as she stretched her hand out to retrieve her phone. When Charlie didn't make a move to return the phone, Lacey slowly looked up at the pale boy in confusion, who stared back at her with wide eyes.

"Charlie?" Lacey asked hesitantly.

"Can I ask you out on a date?" Charlie asked quickly.

Lacey blinked in surprise before offering him a wary smile. "I'm sorry, Charlie, but I'm interested in someone else."

Charlie's eyes remained open as he struggled to plaster a smile on his face, though it appeared like a pained grimace, if anything. "S-Someone else?" he whispered, his grip on the bucket and Lacey's phone tightening to the point where his knuckles were positively white with pressure.

"Yeah," Lacey said uneasily, noticing the sudden tension in the young man's body. "Now if I could just get my phone…" she trailed off with a nervous laugh. Her hand remained outstretched and yet Charlie refused to budge.

"B-but I've been so good to you," Charlie grounded out between gritted teeth, eyes brimming with tears, his body beginning to tremble as his face turned into a splotchy red with heated blood.

Lacey's lips parted in surprise at the shift in his demeanor. All at once, her breathing grew shallow as her heart began to race, sensing a wrongness in the situation that was imploring telling her to leave and leave swiftly. Her gaze landed on her phone once more, wondering if she should pressure him into giving it to her or flee without it.

"Charlie…," Lacey began in a reasonable yet firm tone. "You've been a great friend but I'm not interested in you. Now give me my phone."

"But I've been so good to you!" Charlie screamed, spittle flying in every direction, a few drops landing on Lacey's face.

Lacey took a step back and wiped her face, the disgust clear on her features. Seeing that he was clearly beyond logical reasoning, Lacey wordlessly turned away to sprint out of the stable, the first stirrings of real fear pooling within her stomach. But a sharp blow to the side of her head sent her tumbling to the dirt below.

Lacey's eyes grew heavy as she drifted towards unconsciousness, barely registering the trickle of blood flowing from her temple and into her scalp. As her eyelids fluttered close, she heard Charlie whisper.

"I'll be so good to you."

* * *

Clara tapped her foot against the sidewalk outside of the gymnastics facility, bouncing on the balls of her feet with endless energy as she clutched her duffel bag tightly to her side. Her large brown eyes watched in clear annoyance as the sun began to set while the number of her friends dwindled as they piled into their parents' cars and drove away.

More than once, she wished that she'd just taken her best friend Christina's offer to give her a ride. But she knew that Lacey and her mom would talk her ear off if she did that when she knew very well that Lacey was scheduled to pick her up after working at the stables. The preteen rolled her eyes as she pulled out her phone, shooting another series of texts—this time in all caps—to Lacey.

**WHERE R U!?**

**U WERE SUPPOSED 2 B HERE BY NOW!**

Clara sighed in frustration before a wicked thought filtered through her mind. Snickering to herself, she decided to call one person in particular. Clara smiled as the person picked up their phone on the third ring.

"_Hello?"_

"Hi Danny!"

"_Clara?"_

"The one and only. How are you?"

"_I'm good_," followed by a deep chuckle. _"How'd you get my number though?"_

"Let's just say Lacey's not that good at setting passwords."

Another good-natured chuckle. Clara could see why Lacey liked him so much. _"Well I promise to keep it a secret if you will. Deal?"_

"Deal."

"_So what's up?"_

"We~ll, Lacey was supposed to come pick me up after practice half an hour ago. B~ut I'm assuming she's not with you though since she would've ended this conversation already if she was."

"_You're right, she's not with me. Have you tried calling her?"_

"D'uh"

"_Of course you did. I'm being dumb. I'll try calling the other girls. You want me to come pick you up in the meantime though? I know your mom won't be getting out of work for another two hours and it's getting kinda dark."_

"Aw that'd be great. Thanks, Danny!"

"_No problem, Clara. I'll be there in 5."_

Clara pocketed her phone and crossed her arms, watching the last ray of sunshine dissipate into darkness. An ominous chill swept through the area, causing the young girl to zip up her windbreaker as she waited for the vintage brown car to pull up.

* * *

A whimper escaped Lacey's lips as she slowly regained consciousness. The side of head was throbbing in sheer pain and she bit her lip to stop herself from crying aloud. When she made the attempt to move her arms to touch the wound, she realized with dread that her hands were bound together behind her back with rope. Acute panic began to settle in her bones as her eyes flew open to her surroundings. Before her laid a rickety table covered by a white table cloth. A long, clear flower vase with a solitary rose was at its center with several lit, romantic candles. Completing the arrangement were a pair of white ceramic plates and wine glasses.

Lacey belatedly remembered the events prior to the current situation.

The stables.

Charlie.

The bucket.

Lacey began to struggle against her bonds, wincing as the raw material scraped against the delicate skin.

"Oh, you're awake," Charlie said pleasantly as he appeared behind her with what looked to be a wine bottle. Lacey craned her neck to stare at her capturer, her eyes filled with anger.

"Let me go Charlie!" Lacey shouted as she fought against the ropes with renewed strength.

"Oh, Lacey," Charlie whispered, reaching forward to brush a strand of hair away from her Lacey's face, ignoring the way she cringed away from his hand. "I'm only doing this because you deserve to be cared for."

"Yeah?" Lacey panted as she continued to struggle in her chair. "Then why the fuck did you hit me on the side of the head with a bucket? Seems to me that you're already starting off on the wrong foot."

Charlie's eye twitched in anger but he quickly masked the sentiment with a bright smile. "That was a mistake. I just lost my temper, is all. It won't happen again. I promise."

Lacey's chest heaved as she stared up at the crazed young man in incredulity before quickly scanning the area for an exit point. Noticing her attention was elsewhere, Charlie chuckled as he slowly walked around the chair and towards the table to fill the glasses.

"I hope you don't mind sparkling apple cider. I couldn't buy any wine," Charlie rambled on as his rheumy, bloodshot eyes met her wide ones. "And I hope you like steak, mixed vegetables, and mashed potatoes. It's the best kind of food I can make."

Lacey remained silent as fear began to form a knot in her stomach. Once Charlie filled the glasses to his satisfaction, he moved to exit the area though not before leaving her with words that chilled her to the absolute core, dashing her hopes.

"Oh, you won't be able to escape, by the way. And they won't find you. You're in the place that once was. I'm hoping to change that to the place that will always be."

* * *

"You haven't heard from her either? No? Okay, I'll call you in a little bit. Bye," Danny said, unceremoniously dropped his phone into the car's cup-holder while veering into a parking spot in front of the gymnastics facility, spotting Clara just a few yards away.

Danny clenched and unclenched the leather steering wheel in a feeble attempt to relieve some of the gnawing feeling of worry that currently held his veins captive.

Jo. Sarita. Phoebe. Even Rico.

None of them had heard from Lacey since she left school for work.

And she'd _never_ forget to pick up her sister from practice.

So where was she?

Danny quickly schooled his features into an easy smile as Clara opened the passenger door and slid into the seat. She smiled widely, her dimples deepening as she thanked him.

"No problem, Clara," Danny said with a nod. "If you don't mind though, I'd like to make a quick stop at the stables."

"You think Lacey might still be there?" Clara asked, her eyes, so similar to her older sister's, peering up at him in curiosity.

"Maybe," Danny said with a slight smile and a shrug. "You know how she loves those horses. Maybe her phone died and she lost track of the time," he suggested as he put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking lot, tapping the steering wheel with an errant finger as he drove.

"Maybe…" Clara trailed off. After a moment of silence, she whispered, "You don't think anything bad happened to her, do you?"

Danny swallowed thickly, hoping his face nor the tension in his body revealed his growing worry, not wishing to send the girl into a panic. He blinked several times as he smiled. "Of course not. I'm sure she's fine. So how's practice going? Can I consider you a future Olympian for 2016?"

Clara beamed, speaking animatedly about her progress and her teammates. Danny stifled a sigh of relief, grateful that she took the bait. Though his mind was whirring at the infinite possibilities, none of them good, he was glad that the innocent conversation offered him a little respite to his dark thoughts.

As Danny pulled up to the parking lot in front of the stables, he felt his hopes begin to dwindle as he took note of the emptiness. Clara turned to look at him in confusion, but he remained silent as he parked into the nearest spot.

"Why are we parking? I don't see Lacey's car here so she must've left already," Clara grumbled.

"I just want to check something really quickly," Danny said softly as he cut the engine to the car and pocketed his keys in his jacket. "Lock the doors after me, will you, Clara?"

Clara quirked an eyebrow. Green Grove was a pretty safe place; carjackings were unheard of around here but she did as she was told, reaching forward to push the lock down on the old car once Danny stepped out and shut the door.

Danny's boots crunched against the old leaves and dirt that littered the ground as he slowly approached the wooden doors that led to Stall 5, the last stall at the very back of the stables and the one that Lacey was assigned to.

"Lacey?" Danny called out as he slowly pushed the wooden doors open. The lights were turned off, leaving him in total darkness. Pulling out his phone and turning on its flashlight, Danny stepped further into the stall, lifting up his phone so that its light could emanate a portion of the room. He registered the snorts of a horse a few yards away and began to walk towards the sound before stumbling over a light metal object.

Righting himself, Danny shone the light on his foot and his stomach bottomed out at what he saw.

An empty bucket with blood caked at the edge.

Forcing his hand to remain steady as his breathing grew labored, Danny crouched downward to inspect the object further when the flashlight caught the edge of a cell phone. This time, unable to keep his hand from trembling, Danny reached out for the phone, noticing the teal case that was instinctively Lacey's. His eyes squinted as he examined the phone, turning it on to reveal the icons of missed phone calls and several text messages from Clara on the screen.

Danny felt his throat restricting with panic as he stood up and pocketed the phone. He swallowed the bile that threatened to rise as he inspected the ground, noticing specks of blood and marks into the dirt that looked as though something—or someone—was dragged out of the stall.

"Fuck," he whispered, the back of his eyes stinging as he scrambled out of the stall, forcing his legs to move as fast as they could as he quickly sent a group text.

**SOS MEET ME MY HOUSE ASAP**

Reaching the car, he fumbled with his keys, even dropping them at one point before remembering that Clara was still in the car. Clara hurriedly reached over and unlocked the driver's door.

"Danny, what the hell is going on!?" Clara exclaimed, unnerved by the young man's panicked nature. Danny cursed inwardly, realizing that his behavior was not going to help either of them right now as he jumped into the car and swiftly started up the vehicle before peeling out of the parking lot at a high speed.

"Danny you're scaring me," Clara whispered, tears pooling in her eyes as she stared up at him, clutching her bag to her chest. "What happened in there? Where's my sister?"

Danny shut his eyes, willing himself to stay calm as he took a huge breath. He turned to the frightened girl, his mouth impossibly dry as he struggled to form the words.

"I don't know, Clara."

* * *

Lacey's tongue jutted out in concentration as she felt the rope beginning to loosen. She sighed in relief as she managed to get one hand out of its confinement but her small victory was short-lived as she heard footfalls approaching.

Pretending to remain tied, Lacey turned to see Charlie approaching with his dinner. The smell of overcooked meat and burnt vegetables wafted into her nose, but her stomach jumped at the scent all the same. Lacey groaned inwardly as she realized that she hadn't eaten anything of substance since lunch.

She watched as Charlie slid the food onto the plate in front of her before serving himself. "I know it's a little too well done but I hope you like it anyways," he said before setting the tray to the side and sitting in his seat. Charlie picked up the fork and knife, stabbing the rough steak with fork as he struggled to slice through it. Finally managing to cut a piece of it, he raised the fork to Lacey's face, motioning for her to take a bite.

Lacey turned her head away. "I'm not hungry and you can't possibly think that this is romantic," she whispered angrily.

Charlie remained undeterred as he continued to try and get her to eat. "Come on. I know you haven't eaten," he said, his grip on the fork tightening as he pushed the morsel towards her mouth once more.

"No."

"Come on, Lacey, just try it."

"No! I said—"

"Please, just—"

"What part of 'no' do you not understa—"

"JUST EAT THE FUCKING THING," Charlie screamed, slamming the utensils on the poorly structured table, causing the vase to tip over and fall to the ground, shattering and sending bits of glass flying everywhere.

Lacey's mouth audibly snapped shut, lowering her gaze to her lap for fear of what she might see in Charlie's eyes. She heard him sigh and mutter an apology before standing up and walking out the room, rambling about the mess he made and where to find a broom.

Once he was gone, Lacey released a shuddered breath, the urge to vomit becoming more and more difficult to ignore. She thought of how worried her sister must've been at this moment and tears prickled the back of her eyes when the thought of not seeing her or her mother, whom she was finally starting to get along with, ever again settled in the forefront of her mind.

She then thought about how she should've been studying with Danny, huddled into a tiny booth at the back of Johnny Cakes, stealing fries from his basket as they studied American history.

And how she planned on asking him if they could try being in a relationship again.

And her friends.

And her aspirations of becoming a lawyer with an art gallery on the side.

And a family. A boy and a girl.

Her eyes flooded with tears until they collected at the bottom of her eyelashes before spilling onto her cheeks as she started to believe that this nightmare was now her reality.

* * *

"What the hell is going on, Danny?" Jo asked, standing up just as Danny ushered a tearful Clara into their living room.

"Oh my god, Clara…," Phoebe whispered, taking the crying girl by the shoulders into her arms. "Yeah, why is Clara with you and why is she crying? Where's Lacey?"

Danny ran a frustrated hand into his disheveled hair, loosening his mane from its messy topknot as he paced on the floor, fist clenched so tightly he nearly drew blood. "Lacey's missing and I'm sure Charlie McBride is behind this," he muttered quickly.

A terse silence filled the room for a moment as the rest of its occupants tried to process this revelation.

"_What_?" Sarita finally uttered in disbelief.

Clara burst into tears as Phoebe gasped, whispering "I knew it! I knew it!" before gently leading Clara to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Wait, wait, wait. Danny, sit down and tell us everything that happened," Jo advised, willing her voice to remain as calm as possible despite the fact that she was screaming on the inside, motioning for him to take a seat on the coach to collect his frazzled bearings.

Ten minutes later, Rico was frantically typing on his laptop as he relayed all of the information he discovered thus far on Charlie.

"This is ridiculous," Jo said, making a move to stand up. "We can't do this by ourselves. I'm going to go call my dad."

"Wait, I found something," Rico said quickly, not moving his eyes away from the screen for a second. "Cell phones occasionally release signals that hit the nearest cell towers and those are often used by law enforcement to pinpoint someone's last location and I got a hit to a cell tower just outside of Green Grove from Charlie's phone." Rico's eyes narrowed as he zoomed in on a geographical map.

Danny sprinted forward, grabbing his keys off the coffee table and making his way towards the front door. "Text me an exact address when you find it. I'm going there now."

"Whoa, Danny!" Jo exclaimed. "You can't just go out there by yourself! I'm coming with you, at least."

"Well, the both of you might need to wait a little longer because the signal propagation puts the location within a half-mile radius and that's a pretty big area, especially when it's practically in the woods," Rico explained, turning the laptop screen to show them the dense vegetation with few houses in the vicinity.

"So what?" Danny grounded out. "We wait for some kind of clue to appear while Lacey's at the mercy of some sick freak?"

"I always knew that kid was a fucking nutcase," Sarita muttered as she swept her massive curls over one shoulder. "Always carrying that nasty ass book around. 'To The Place That Once Was' or some shit."

Danny's eyebrows furrowed as he analyzed Sarita's comment. Suddenly feeling enlightened, Danny snapped his fingers, whirling around to face Rico. "Rico, you mentioned something about Charlie's past. What was it?"

Rico blinked in confusion. "Something about an old, abandoned house that he used to live in before being hauled off to juvie at the age of eight for attempting to kill his grandparents with carbon monoxide?"

"Pull up the coordinates for that house if you can. I want to verify something."

Rico tapped away at the laptop before his eyes widened in recognition. "Color me shocked. That house happens to be within that half-mile radius."

"We have ourselves a location then," Danny said as he hurriedly pulled on his jacket. Just as he and Jo were about to leave the house, Clara stepped out of the kitchen, her eyes red and puffy as wordlessly implored them of anything that they knew.

Danny stepped forward and placed a warm, gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll make sure Lacey gets back safely."

Clara sniffled, a fresh bout of tears threatening to spill from her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Danny's torso and bury her face in his shirt, mumbling only one word.

"Please."

* * *

"Clara, what is going on?" Judy demanded, chest heaving as she entered the Desai residence. She sped over the minute she got off from work with a short, frantic call from Clara asking that she meet her at the Desais as soon as possible.

Clara rushed forward, embracing her mother tightly as she shakily relayed the information that she'd be given.

Judy felt the strength attempting to escape her knees as the words "danger," "kidnapped," and "Lacey" were strung together in her mind, threatening to tear away at the mental fabric that held her sanity together. For her younger daughter's sake, however, she managed to remain upright as the both of them made their way to the living room.

Judy all but collapsed on the nearest couch, unable to form words as sobs wracked her tired frame. The rest of the room's occupants remained silent in the own sadness, none of the young teenagers feeling emotionally well equipped to assuage this particular form of despair that only a mother could understand. Phoebe swallowed thickly as she silently placed a steaming cup of tea on the coffee table and placed a comforting hand on the older woman's shoulder.

Clara curled into her mother's side, seeking and drawing comfort all at once as she rubbed her mother's back. And it was in this position Karen and Tess found them when they arrived not ten minutes later. Tess had rushed out of her home and called Karen the minute she received Jo's text, not even bothering to completely wash the clay from her hands from a pottery session in her garage once she understood what was happening. She managed to find Karen just as she was pulling up into the driveway, panting and out of breath as she got the other woman up to speed on everything that was going on.

As much as Karen's nerves were frayed at the possibility of her only son putting himself in possible harm's way, she could only imagine the sheer stress that was currently overwhelming Judy. "I'm sure Lacey's fine. She's a fighter," Karen said with a tight smile, offering Judy an encouraging pat on the back with Tess doing the same.

Judy could only nod, fresh tears spilling from her eyes before she scrubbed them away with a worn tissue. She felt Clara snuggle even closer into her side and she smoothed her hand over the girl's wavy hair, compelling herself to remain strong for the both of them as she prayed for Lacey's safe return.

* * *

"I placed the food in some Tupperware, just in case you felt like eating it later," Charlie said as he shuffled around the room with a broom and dustpan. "I have some store-bought chocolate cake but I don't want to ruin your appetite."

Lacey rolled her eyes, surreptitiously rubbing her sore wrist with her free hand whenever she could. Through sheer will alone, she forced herself to no longer shed any tears for her predicament, instead focusing her attention on plotting her escape.

Once she decided on a plan, Lacey breathed deeply, closing her eyes and counting to three before throwing caution to the wind.

"Charlie…," Lacey called out to her captor, grateful that her tone seemed to produce the desired effect with Charlie immediately making his way towards her, a hopeful smile on his face. "My wrists are sore. Can you just loosen the rope for me please?"

"Oh!" Charlie exclaimed, bending down behind her to inspect the rope. "I'm so sorry! I must've tied them too tig—"

Lacey swung her head back, ramming the back of her head into the bridge of Charlie's nose, earning a sharp bellow of pain from the boy as he stumbled backwards, clutching his face as blood gushed from both nostrils.

Lacey wasted no time freeing her other hand from the ropes, pushing the chair in Charlie's direction to further limit his movements as she shakily ran out of the room. Just as she made it midway into the kitchen, she was bodied by Charlie, the impact from his tackle sending them both sprawling to the ground.

Lacey flailed, her limbs flying every which way, hoping to incapacitate her captor in any way as she screamed for help. Despite his thin frame, however, Charlie used his weight to pin her to the floor.

"I said I'd be good to you, Lacey!" Charlie screamed, blood drying on the bottom half of his face as tears streamed down his cheeks. His hands came around her slender neck, cutting off her airway as he began to squeeze.

Lacey's hands scrambled to remove the fingers locked around her throat as she stared up at him, mouth ajar as the panic within her escalated to dangerous levels the longer she was denied oxygen.

"If I can't have you, no one will," Charlie whispered, his eyes screwed shut in despair as he tightened his hold her.

Lacey grew lightheaded, blackness crowding the edge of her vision as she began to lose consciousness once again. Just as she was beginning to feel her body going limp, she heard what sounded like a door breaking and, just an instant later, the weight being forced off of her as the air rushed back into her lungs.

* * *

Danny screeched to a stop in front an old, two-story house, he and Jo clambering to get out of the vehicle to search for the nearest entryway.

"HELP! HELP!"

"Oh my God, that's Lacey!" Jo shouted in horror, whirling around. Danny sped past her, sprinting around the house and finding what looked to be a kitchen door. Swiftly raising a heavy boot, Danny kicked the door ajar, breaking the frame and stumbling inside to find his worst fears coming to life.

The sight was nearly triggering, memories of his aunt's body sprawled on the kitchen floor flashing through his eyes for an instant, before red clouded his vision. Before he could even comprehend what to do what himself, Danny propelled forward, tackling Charlie and sending the both of them careening into the cabinets behind them in a mess of brawling limbs.

Jo rushed forward, kneeling next to Lacey and taking her by the shoulders. "Lacey, are you okay? Can you stand up?" she asked frantically while a fit of coughs wracked Lacey's frame as she struggled to get much needed air back into her lungs. Jo exhaled in relief as Lacey offered a weak nod, wrapping a sturdy arm around the taller girl's center as they both stood up.

"You. Fucking. Piece. Of. Shit!" Danny grounded out between clenched teeth, each word punctuate with a hard fist into Charlie's already bloodied face. Charlie struggled but failed to get the other boy off of him but his pathetic movements only fueled Danny's anger as Danny began ramming his head against the tile floor.

Lacey breathed deeply as she slowly collected bearings, realizing that it was Danny and Jo who'd come for her. Before she could open her mouth to ask how they managed to find her, police offers rushed into the tiny space, automatic weapons drawn. Several officers ushered Lacey and Jo out of the house to a nearby ambulance while Kyle Masterson pushed through the foray and forcibly dragged Danny away from the battered, barely conscious Charlie that laid on the floor.

"God, Lacey, we were so worried about you," Jo said, her eyes watering as she helped Lacey to sit at the edge of the ambulance.

"I'm sorry," Lacey whispered.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm just glad you're safe now," Jo whispered passionately with a shake of head as she embraced the other girl. They remained like that for a moment before paramedics moved into check Lacey's vitals.

"Dammit Danny, you could've killed the guy," Kyle grumbled as he restrained the teenager, waiting for the boy to get the bloodlust out of his system. They watched as several paramedics loaded the pale boy onto a stretcher and wheel him out as investigators inspected the area, snapping pictures for evidence.

"Yeah, well, any second longer and it would've been Lacey," Danny retorted heatedly, feeling a second wind of rage coming along as he replayed the events in his mind. He frantically craned his neck, searching for any sign of her but she was no longer in the house.

"You have to let me do my job, kid," Kyle said tersely, finally deciding to release Danny. "What were you thinking going out here by yourself? With Jo, no less? All three of you could've been killed. Luckily Tess alerted me just in time once she got Jo's message."

"There wasn't much time to think. Just needed to get Lacey back safely, sir," Danny muttered, the high of adrenaline fading, finally registering the pain in his bruised knuckles. He glanced down at his hands, smudged with dark red as he clenched and unclenched them.

"Let's get those washed and bandaged up," Kyle sighed as he led Danny out of the house. Danny moved to where Lacey sat, catching just the tail end of the paramedic reciting her findings while scribbling into pad.

"…just a minor concussion and amazingly, you won't need any stitches. You're brave girl," she said with a smile before pocketing the notepad and walking away. Lacey looked up to see Danny slowly approaching her, his face a displaying a mix of emotions as he climbed into the ambulance to sit next to her.

"Yeah, you really are," was all he could whisper, feeling his throat tighten as he gently pulled Lacey into his arms, wrapping them around her tightly. He felt her hands span his back, clutching the material as her tears soaked his shirt.

* * *

"Oh God, my baby," Judy sighed in relief, tears streaking her face as she enveloped Lacey into a giant hug the second she entered the house. Lacey blinked back tears of her own as she basked in the warmth of her mother's embrace. She saw Clara bounding up to them in her peripheral vision and extended her hand, pulling her little sister into the tight hug as well.

After a moment, everyone took their turns and there was not a dry eye in the Desai house. Eventually the Porters went home, still clutching Lacey as if they were scared she'd be snatched away again at any moment. Soon afterwards, everyone else departed and Karen and Danny were left alone.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Karen asked as she examined Danny's bandaged hands.

"I'm fine, Mom," Danny said with a wry smile. "I'm sure the other guy fared much worse."

"What a sick kid. I can't believe he did that…" Karen said with a shake of her head as she pulled out a bottle of vodka from a nearby cabinet. "I'm just glad you got Lacey home safely, even though it was a damn risky move on your part. You could've been in trouble yourself."

"I'm glad she's safe, too," Danny said with a nod, his mind elsewhere. "I'm just really tired after all of that so I'm just going to take a shower and hit the sack."

"Of course. You've had a long day. Good night, honey," Karen said with a soft smile, pouring some of the hard liquor into a glass tumbler as she watch Danny bound up the stairs.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want us to do anything for you?" Judy asked, watching Lacey walk up the stairs towards her room.

Lacey smiled softly, adding a small shake of her head. "We've all been through the ringer today. I just want to take a long, hot shower, sleep and forget about it all."

"Okay, baby," Judy said with a nod. "I love you."

Lacey nodded, briefly noting that it was the twelfth time her mother stated the phrase but she enjoyed it nonetheless. "Love you too, Mom." With that, she made her way to her bedroom. Shutting the door behind her with a sigh, she nearly screeched when she found Danny sitting on her bed, staring pensively at the wall ahead of him.

"Danny!" Lacey said in a hushed voice, her hand placed over her rapidly beating heart. "You scared me," she muttered as she gingerly walked over to where he sat.

"I'm sorry, I should've known better," Danny said sincerely as he stood up, nervously patting his hands to his sides as he faced her. "I just..I needed to see if you were okay."

"I'm okay now," Lacey said softly, taking one of his bandaged hands in her own. "Thank you…for everything."

Danny shook his head. "No need for 'thank you,'" he whispered, trailing off. The two of them fell silent as Danny silently assessed her condition. She was still in her equestrian outfit, though it was now wrinkled and soiled with dirt. Her long hair was matted with blood caked into the spot above her right temple. Lacey felt her cheeks grow hot under his scrutinizing gaze, aware that she was a little worse for wear, and made a move to release his hand when Danny raised his other hand to cradle the side of her face as he pulled her closer to him, softly pressing his lips against hers.

Lacey could feel herself melting, her hands gripping the front of his jacket but Danny pulled away just as she was beginning to respond. Danny leaned his forehead against hers, breathing deeply and eyes screwed shut as he tried to reign in his emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.

Opening his large brown eyes to stare into Lacey's own, Danny offered her a shaky smile before speaking. "You know, I was going to ask you if we could…you know, get back together when you were supposed to come into the diner earlier," he began. Lacey felt her breath latch into her throat at his admission but remained silent, allowing him to continue.

"But...then…_this_ happened, and I just kept thinking that I might never get to hold you like this or kiss you like this ever again," Danny whispered, his voice trembling as tears began to rim his eyes and collect into his bottom lashes. Lacey could feel her own eyes beginning to water as she held him even closer. "Or see you smile ever again…and that shit scared me. I was so scared…but I could only imagine how scared you were and then I just felt angry…and I wanted to kill that kid so badly but I just wanted to get you out of there and make sure you were safe."

Lacey sniffled, tears streaking her face as she watched Danny blink rapidly, exhaling long and slow. "And now that you are and this is all behind us, I don't want to waste any more time," he finished, staring deeply into her eyes. "So, if you'll have me…I want to give us another a shot…and I promise I'll be better this time around."

Lacey swooped forward, her hands anchored to the back of his thick neck as she desperately pressed his lips against hers, attempting to convey her response. She smiled into the kiss as his arms snaked around her waist, molding her body against his as their mouths moved together in unison.

The kiss grew heated as Lacey's hands clamored to remove his jacket. Danny pulled back, feeling hot blood seep into his loins as he stared at Lacey, his pupils darkening noticeably. Before he could ask her if she was sure, Lacey asked, "Shower with me?" as her nimble fingers toyed with the hem of his shirt, her eyes peering directly into his own as her nails scraped lightly against his abdomen.

Danny submerged a groan as he captured her lips with his own, his hands traveling from her hips to cup her ass, grinding his pelvis into her own as they stumbled backwards into the connected bathroom. Lacey threw her head back as Danny gently removed her boots and socks, sliding off her black leggings and underwear in one go as he peppered kisses over the expanse of her neck, her shoulders, and her collarbone.

Eventually all of their garments were removed and they joined underneath the hot spray of water. Steam shrouded the both of them as they moved together in unison, their moans filling the tight space, Lacey's thighs clamped firmly around Danny's waist as she met each of his frenzied thrusts, his hands anchored onto her cheeks as he tried to bury himself as deep as he could.

"More, more, more," Lacey whimpered, feeling the pleasure at the point of their union began to spiral upwards to every nerve in her body, seizing her until all she could think about was him. She fastened her mouth on his shoulder, teeth nipping at the skin almost hard enough to break the skin, stifling her cries. Her entire body undulated underneath the sheer force of her release with Danny's choked cry signaling his own. The waves of pleasure that assaulted them both seem to go on forever as they slid to the floor of the stall.

Spent but drunk with satisfaction, they took turns lathering each other's bodies with fruity body wash as they shared soft kisses. Danny particularly focused in massaging Lacey's scalp to rid of the bit of blood, dirt, and debris that remained, his fingers running through her curls with the utmost care and being cautious with the wound at her temple.

Once they were done, they dried each other off and slid underneath her covers, her bare back against his chest as he wrapped his arms securely around her center.

"I love you," Danny whispered in Lacey's ear just as she was drifting off into a peaceful slumber. Her heart blossomed in happiness, a soft smile spreading across her features as she placed her hands on his clasped ones resting on her abdomen.

"I love you too."

And that night, Lacey found her safe haven.

* * *

**A/N**: Hope you all enjoyed it!


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